How does personalizing orders build customer loyalty?

Today, your customers expect much more from you than just good food, served hot, quickly and with a smile. They also want to be listened to, recognized and pampered. And the good news is that you don't need to be an international chain to achieve this! Even in a small neighborhood bistro, a simple detail like remembering that Madame prefers her steak rare, or that Monsieur always takes his coffee without sugar, can turn an occasional customer into an unconditional loyalist.

Personalization is far from being a passing trend: it's one of the most powerful strategies for boosting satisfaction, creating a strong bond and guaranteeing your restaurant's long-term profitability.

Ready to find out how to turn your customers from visitors into regulars?

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Building loyalty rather than acquisition in the restaurant business

Loyalty rather than acquisition in the restaurant business means understanding that each loyal customer has a value that goes far beyond mere consumption.

Cost of acquisition vs. cost of retention

Between online advertising, delivery platform commissions and the promotions needed to convince a customer to try out your establishment, the bill quickly climbs when it comes to attracting new customers. Not to mention the time and energy invested in creating campaigns and managing partnerships. 

Conversely, building loyalty with an existing customer requires much less effort: they already know your cuisine, they trust you, and they naturally come back if they like the experience. That's why it's estimated that a loyal customer costs up to 5 times less to keep than a new one to win over. Relying on personalization is therefore an excellent way of reducing your marketing costs while ensuring a regular, committed customer base.

The direct impact on your sales 

A loyal customer returns more often, spends more and is more likely to be tempted by your new products. According to a study by Deloitte, 47% of members of a restaurant loyalty program use it several times a month: proof that loyalty generates regular, predictable visits. 

A customer who picks up their favorite dish every week helps to stabilize your sales without any extra effort. Personalization, by remembering their tastes and habits, is a simple way of strengthening this bond and the frequency of these visits. 

The behavior of loyal restaurant customers

A loyal customer doesn't just consume: he becomes your best ambassador. They recommend your establishment to friends and family, leave positive online reviews and help you attract new customers for free. By remembering their preferences, proposing a targeted offer and giving them a thank-you note, you turn them into a true partner for growth.

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Using order personalization as a loyalty lever

A few simple gestures are all it takes to offer a personalized experience and create a lasting bond.

Propose personalized offers based on customer preferences

Offer customization options on the menu: add an ingredient, change a side dish, adapt the cooking.

Let's take a concrete example: even small options, such as choosing the cooking method for a steak or adding a topping to a pizza, can have an impact: a pizzeria that offers this type of personalization often sees its average basket increase by 15-20%.

👉 Discover how Italian Queen integrated pizza customization

Personalize your order at the table, at a kiosk or with Click & Collect

Whatever the channel, it's important that the experience can be personalized at every stage:

• From a kiosk or Click & Collect application, customers can adjust their dish to suit their tastes, add or remove an ingredient, choose the cooking method or select a side dish. This autonomy reduces errors and speeds up preparation, while offering a smooth, pleasant experience for all diners.
  
  
• In the dining room, a waiter who anticipates recurring requests or remembers a regular's preferences makes a lasting impression. For example, automatically offering a customer's favorite coffee or sauce creates a small gesture of attention that makes a big difference and strengthens loyalty.

Leveraging Data and CRM to customize the customer experience

Customer data is a real goldmine for building loyalty. For example, if a customer always orders vegan, you can send them a targeted notification when a new veggie salad is available.

With a CRM, every order becomes actionable data: you can identify buying habits, anticipate preferences and adapt your communications or offers accordingly. Customers benefit from a more fluid, personalized and engaging customer experience, which makes them want to come back.

👉 To find out more: Personalized marketing: what's at stake for your restaurant?

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Implement an effective personalization strategy

Implementing an effective personalization strategy means making every customer feel unique, from the very first order, and giving them a reason to come back again and again.

Linking personalization and digital loyalty programs 

A loyalty program like the one offered by Innovorder, links each order to customer preferences. The result: tailor-made benefits and a more frequent return to the restaurant.

Segment customer profiles and personalization scenarios

Not all your customers expect the same thing.

• Lunchtime regulars: an offer on their favorite dish.
  
  
• Weekend families: discount on children's menus.
  
  
• Young working people on delivery: a suggestion of adapted novelties.

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Track KPIs to measure the effectiveness of personalization

To know if your personalization actions are really working, you can look at a few key indicators:

• Return rate: do your customers come back regularly?
  
  
• Average shopping basket: does it increase thanks to customized options?
  
  
• NPS (Net Promoter Score): do your customers actively recommend you?

👉 To find out more: 5 tips for building customer loyalty in the restaurant business

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Digital tools to personalize orders and build customer loyalty

Technology doesn't replace people, but it does make personalization smoother, faster and, above all, more memorable for your customers. 

Native integration into your restaurant ecosystem

POS, CRM and modules like Innovorder's need to communicate with each other to centralize customer data and streamline service. This integration reduces data entry errors, speeds up order taking and delivers a consistent customer experience across all channels. It also facilitates analysis of purchasing habits, so you can better understand your customers and anticipate their preferences.

Automate customization without overloading the service

To automate customization without burdening your service, technology can make your life easier by taking over certain tasks:

• Customizable online ordering,
  
  
• Automated digital loyalty program,
  
  
• One-click access to customer history.

Concrete examples of effective restaurant configurations

Here are some concrete examples of effective configurations that can be used to personalize orders and build customer loyalty, depending on the type of restaurant:

• Coffee shops: beverage customization (size, milk, syrup, toppings),
  
  
• Fast casuals: free choice of pokés or salads,
  
  
• Traditional catering: memorize preferences ("no salt", "rare") in the cash register to anticipate expectations.

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What results can we expect? 

Personalization doesn't just make you happy, it has a real impact on your organization and the customer experience.

• Save time and reduce errors: less repetition, more fluidity in the kitchen.
  
  
• Emotional connection: your customers feel they count, and in a highly competitive sector, that makes all the difference.
  
  
• Natural referrals: a pampered customer tells others about us, generating free and effective word-of-mouth.
  
  

Trends in foodservice personalization

Tomorrow, personalization will go even further. Thanks to AI and data, your systems will be able to suggest a dish according to the weather ("hot soup today?"), or adapt an offer according to purchasing habits.

This is no longer science fiction, but a reality that is becoming accessible to all restaurateurs, even independents.

👉 To find out more: Customer loyalty: the loyalty card as a solution

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Dear restaurateurs, remember: loyalty isn't bought with promotions, it's built with little touches. Whether it's offering a choice of ingredients, remembering a regular's preferences or adapting your communication to their tastes, personalization is a formidable weapon for keeping your customers coming back for more, and making them smile with every order.